ONE OF MY BEST SCHOOL FRIENDS HOUSES

RE: RE: ONE OF MY BEST SCHOOL FRIEND'S HOUSES

I lived in Chippingfield from 1956 -1959, down the turning to the right in the picture. On the left of the picture was the orchard for 'the big old house' where we use to scrump apples, the house had a sweetshop very popular. Old Harlow was so different from the main New Town, still a village. We skated down the road on Sundays, no shops open and very little traffic! The fire station was at the bottom of the hill, volunteer fire men called by the siren on the police station - just behind our house - loud! I went to The Spinney Junior school because we initially lived in Harefield but then went to Mark Hall Secondary School. We used to go to the Bridge over the railway to collect engine numbers, remember Ian Allan Books? There was a grass open space in front of our house with a 'hill' we used to meet on or 'the big tree' further up the road. On the furthest part of Chippingfield was a playground and then it opened up onto farm land with 'Dicks Wood' with a pond and a stream, pure heaven for 12 year olds. I enjoyed my time living in Chippingfield, then in 1959 we moved back to Borehamwood in Hertfordshire which we originally left in 1955. My father commuted to London, and the service from Harlow was poor at the time better and quicker from Borehamwood.